Exodus issue dominates Rupani’s UP visit

LUCKNOW: The issue of exodus of north Indians from Gujarat dominated the two-day visit of Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani to Lucknow.

During his visit, Rupani accused the Congress of fomenting trouble in Gujarat which is likely to trigger a fresh war of words between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition parties.

Officially, the Gujarat CM was in Lucknow to invite his Uttar Pradesh counterpart Yogi Adityanath for the unveiling of the 182metre high ‘Statue of Unity’ at Sardar Sarovar Dam by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 31.

“Yogi had earlier spoken to Rupani over the phone and was assured that action has been taken against those responsible for attacks on north Indians in Gujarat. Therefore, the exodus issue did not figure in talks between the two chief ministers,” an official spokesman said.

Other officials, however, claimed that the exodus issue came up for discussion during Rupani’s meetings with state leaders.

Rupani also met deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma, who has earlier worked as the BJP’s in-charge in Gujarat.

As the Congress has been consistently raising the issue of exodus in the past few days to gain political mileage, the BJP is bound to use Rupani’s visit and his meetings with Yogi to control political damage on the issue.

“The Gujarat chief minister’s move to visit Lucknow to invite not only chief minister Yogi Adityanath but also to extend an invitation to the people of state to attend the October 31 event is sufficient proof of the BJP’s honest intentions,” said UP BJP spokesman Harish Chandra Srivastava.

While Rupani spoke about the contribution of the people of Bihar and UP in the development of Gujarat and that the north Indians have blended in Gujarat just as sugar in milk, his observations have evoked mixed reactions.

President of Bhojpuri Samaj PN Rai said, “It is good that the Gujarat chief minister has visited Lucknow and met Yogi

Adityanath. Action should be taken against those responsible for the exodus or else the affected people will give a befitting reply.”

However, the Congress is not amused. The state Congress leaders showed black flags to Rupani as he arrived in Lucknow

on Sunday evening. The Congress leaders also released black balloons on Monday as well to protest against the issue.

UP Congress Committee president Raj Babbar said, “The UP CM is not sensitive to the problems of the people. The Gujarat CM is not coming out with truth

on the issue. Rupani is not aware of meaning of unity.”

“There was an exodus of north Indians in Gujarat and the CM is not following ‘raj dharm’. He is inviting Yogi for the inauguration of the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel who worked for the unity of India,” Babbar said.